


Pomp and Circumstance

by Eissel



Series: Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020 [6]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Emotional, Family, Family Feels, Gen, Graduation, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Short One Shot, Speeches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24464722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eissel/pseuds/Eissel
Summary: Gracia attends Elicia's graduation, and is delightfully surprised at her daughter's salutatorian speech.
Relationships: Elicia Hughes & Gracia Hughes, Elicia Hughes & Gracia Hughes & Maes Hughes
Series: Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758514
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020





	Pomp and Circumstance

**Author's Note:**

> Am I a basic bitch for titling this way I did? Why yes, yes I am. 
> 
> Day 6: _**Graduation**_ or _**Pride**_ or Empty Nest (:late::late::late::late:)  
> Song: _Sidetracked Day (VIXNIS)_ \+ _unknown unknowns (Team Kamiuta, LIQU@ & Ninoyu Kanae ver.)_
> 
> Also, you can take this as in indirect sequel to Identity (the elements certainly _are_ there for it).

There was a part of her that never expected this moment to arrive. Watching Elicia walk smoothly and confidently across the stage to receive her diploma was supposed to take forever, after all, it had certainly felt like forever when Gracia had walked the same steps her daughter was walking now. 

“Thank you, Schulleiterin Rainer.” Elicia said after she shook hands with the Headmistress and had angled the microphone to be at a more comfortable height. “I am very glad to welcome all of you to North Central Technical Academy’s graduation for the class of 1928.” Polite applause was made, and Elicia waited for it to die down before continuing with her speech. “I am very glad to see so many faces in the crowd, I know  _ many  _ of you have very busy jobs, and it’s heartwarming to see so many of you take the time off to see your sons and daughters graduate from this institution. As the class of 1928’s salutatorian, I would like to express my sincere thanks-” her voice broke slightly, and Elicia brought a hand to wipe at her face. Gracia smothered the instinct to run up there and comfort her baby girl. “My sincere thanks to my mother. She has been my rock through some of the most trying days of my life. She has always tried to push me forwards and comfort me when I needed it.”

Elicia smiled and laughed a little. “And even though I know I sometimes annoyed her or even confused her when I went on too long about alchemy, never once did she dissuade me from taking it up as a profession when she had every right to.” Elicia turned to face Gracia, and she smiled brightly. “Thank you so much mom, I… There’s no way I’d be here without you. You’ve sacrificed  _ so  _ much to get me to where I am now, and I want to thank you for that, I want to thank you for loving and supporting me, even when I stumbled or made mistakes. You were always right by my side, ready with a plate of paella to cheer me up or some kind words. Without you, I would have given up on my dreams, without you… Without you, I would not be the person I am today.” Gracia felt her heart swell with joy and she started to tear up. She dabbed at her wet eyes with a handkerchief. She recalled a memory from a few weeks prior:

_ “Would you like me to look over your graduation speech honey?” _

_ “It’s alright mom, I already got Uncle Vato to do that!” _

So the reason she’d been rebuffed then, was all so Elicia could surprise her with this speech? Her baby girl had certainly inherited some of Maes’ flair for the dramatic. 

“So I dedicate this speech to my mother, and I implore all of you sitting here, waiting for your turn up at this podium, as you walk across this stage and receive your diploma, thank the people who got you here, who supported you every step of the way. For some of you that may be a father or a mother. For some it may be a sibling, for some a friend or significant other. No matter who that person may be, thank them. Thank you. Congratulations Class of 1928.” With that, Elicia stepped away from the podium, and bowed her head as her Schulleiterin placed the white stole that signified her salutatorian status around her shoulders. 

* * *

Gracia had never been so proud of Elicia. She was practically overflowing with pride for her daughter. She wanted to stand up and yell: “That’s  _ my  _ child, that’s  _ my  _ baby girl!” Oh, she hoped Maes saw this, wherever he was. 

As the ceremony came to an end, Gracia got up from her chair and went to find her daughter. She spotted Elicia being crowded by a group of boys and girls, some faces familiar to her, some not so familiar. Elicia spotted her first, her father’s height easily making her one of the tallest girls in the Academy, let alone in the group. 

“Mom!” She called out, breaking away from the group hastily to hug Gracia tightly.

“I’m proud of you Elicia. I’m so,  **_so_ ** proud of you. I hope you know that.”

“I know mom, I know.” She laughed, breaking the hug sooner than Gracia would have liked. “I hope you’re not too mad that I hid the speech from you…”    
  
“At least you didn’t pull what your father did at his graduation.”

“What did Dad do?”

“He started off his speech fairly normally, but it quickly devolved into listing off the failures of the school staff and administration. The students loved it… The teachers not so much.” Elicia stifled a laugh. 

“That sounds like him. But even if there were problems that were  _ that  _ bad, I don’t think I could’ve stood up and made a speech like Dad’s.”

“I would have loved it either way… Even though I’m happier that you went with what you ultimately delivered in the end.” Elicia grinned, and embraced Gracia yet again. “By the way, I hope you haven’t gorged yourself on anything, we’re having a celebratory dinner.”

“With the _whole_ family?”

“With the whole family.” Gracia confirmed. Elicia’s eyes lit up, and she dashed away, but not before giving Gracia a peck on the cheek. Gracia could what Elicia’s voice carry: 

“Hey guys, guess what?! I’m going  _ out! _ ”

Stifling a laugh, Gracia made her way to the entrance of the school. Elicia would find her once she was done bragging to her friends. 

“Ah, Mrs. Hughes.” A familiar voice stopped her, and she turned to face Mr. Pine, Elicia’s physics teacher, and also her favorite teacher. “You have raised an excellent young woman. You should be proud.”

“I am.” Gracia smiled. “Elicia has come very far… I still can’t believe it. It feels like yesterday that she was barely tall enough to reach past my knee. But yes… She has grown into a fine young woman indeed. Thank you, Mr. Pine.” She nodded her head in polite acknowledgment and continued her walk to the entrance. Along the way, more of Elicia’s teachers continued to stop her to offer their congratulations, which Gracia accepted with a smile. 

“Where’s the star of the day?” Gracia playfully hit Roy on the shoulder.

“Off bragging to her friends. And should you really commandeer Riza’s car for this?” He shrugged. 

“It was the only one available.”

“And what happened to  _ yours? _ ”

“Car accident.” Gracia rolled her eyes. Even after all these years, Roy was still a horrible driver. Something just didn’t change. “I know you’ve probably heard this already, but Elicia really grew up well. You should be proud.”

“Oh don’t sell yourself short. You played a big role in her life too. But you’re right, I have heard that a lot. You’re losing your touch Roy.”

“Eh, I was the fun uncle who was just more active in her life than most uncles. You’re the real star here. And I’ll have you know that I was just as charming at 30 as I am at 45.” Gracia sighed.

“Sure you are Roy.” Rolling her eyes at how easy it was to deflate his ego, Gracia leaned against the gate of the school entrance. “...I wish Maes were here to see this. I… Sometimes I wonder what he’d say to how I’ve raised her.”

“I can make an approximation if you want.” She didn’t say anything. He took it as permission to make said approximation. “He’d say that you were absolutely brilliant, and that you raised Elicia to be a lovely young woman, and that he couldn’t ask for a better mother.”

“... That sounds like him.”

**Author's Note:**

> Maes' speech by the way, was inspired by this article from the LA Times: 
> 
> https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-san-ysidro-high-school-valedictorian-speech-20190614-story.html


End file.
